The University of Iowa: Crime and Justice in Britain

What better way to gain insight into American criminal justice than to study its British roots? And, what better way to make this study “come alive” than to visit important crime and justice sites in Great Britain? Crime and Justice in Britain is a three-week summer course, with the first week of classes held on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City.

This first week of the program will introduce students to crime and criminal justice in Britain, drawing comparisons and highlighting features that are important to understanding crime and justice in the United States.

During the second two weeks of the program students will travel to London and then Edinburgh. This portion of the program will include classroom as well as experiential learning through visits to key sites.

Some of the sites visited will include: Scotland Yard and the Crime Museum, British Home Office, Pentonville Prison, London’s City Police Museum, the Tower of London’s exhibit on medieval punishments, Edinburgh Castle’s prison exhibits, and other sites. This course offers a unique opportunity to visit sites that aid students’ understanding of British justice and prison systems, as well as contemporary patterns of crime and justice in Great Britain.

Students can return to the US or travel independently after the program ends.